vance against John Kemeny and
enter into an engagement with him wherever he finds him. It will be a
struggle unto death, even if he should perish with his entire host."

This announcement so confounded the Prince that he could find no word
of reply. Kutschuk Pasha in point of numbers was equal to the fifth of
Kemeny's force; besides, his troops were worn out with forced marches.
The man who could hope for victory at such a time must believe in
miracles.

"Let us prepare for the worst," said Stephen Apafi, "and put our trust
in God."

That was the most sensible speech to be made under the circumstances.
Michael Apafi let affairs take their course, any man who chose might
guard the walls. The guards left their soldiers to look out for
themselves and the soldiers did not trouble themselves much about the
walls. The fate of the land lay in God's hand, literally speaking, for
the hand of man was withdrawn. The Prince did no more than to order
old Cserei to keep watch in the church tower and let them know when he
saw the troops moving.

* * * * *

Meanwhile John Kemeny had halted in Nagy-Szoelloes, which was a few
hours distant from Schassburg. He made his headquarters in the little
parsonage, and the little room is still shown where he rested for the
last time, and the round hill in the garden on which stood a
summerhouse where the Prince had begun his last meal but had not
finished it.

The Hungarian forces consulted for a long time with Wenzinger and the
Prince about the course of action. Some advised taking the town by
storm and others maintained that they should besiege it and starve the
people to submission. Wenzinger shook his head.

"Permit me, my lord," said the experienced German, "to express my
opinion. I am an old soldier, have been through all kinds of
campaigns, know the value of superior forces in war and also of good
positions, and know how to balance the two. I have learned by
experience that often a hundred men under favorable circumstances are
more difficult to displace than a thousand. I also know what a
difference the spirit of an army makes. I know too the importance of
taking into account the different kinds of weapons, and the importance
of nationality. We have ten thousand men and there are barely three
thousand drawn up against us. But we must take into consideration that
the greater part of our Hungarian force consists of horsemen, and that
it is impossible t